Eastside Hui spokesman Kema Kanakaole said east Maui has limited mountain and ocean resources and he doesn't want people from Oahu loading their vehicles with fish and depleting resources in the way they have on their island.

"Out in the country we're not set up for massive amounts of people," said Kanakaole. "We want to protect our resources."

Kanakaole said his advice to Oahu people who want to come to Maui to do coastal fishing is to "go home and take care of their ice box, so they get fish."
[...]
Steven Ho'okano, another organizer, said the state, including Gov. Linda Lingle's administration, hasn't been doing their job of protecting resources in east Maui by having enough conservation officers.

Eastside Hui officials have noted the absence of conservation enforcement, especially since a conservation officer who lived in Hana retired.

Ho'okano said that while the Superferry has received $40 million to improve Kahului Harbor, there has been inadequate funding to protect the traditional and customary rights of Hawaiians, as guaranteed by the state Constitution.

"The state of Hawaii is to blame," he said.

Randy Awo, the Maui chief for state conservation enforcement, said his branch could use more staffing to be more effective.

Awo said even when it had a conservation officer living in the Hana district, the officer was sometimes assigned to duties outside of the region.